Under the hammer of Sotheby’s 12 bottles of 12 vintages and the passport “Primum Familiae Vini”

Each year, each of the 12 historic European wine families brought together in “Primum Familiae Vini” - Marchesi Antinori, Tenuta San Guido (Sassicaia), Baron Philippe de Rothschild (Mouton), Joseph Drouhin, Egon Müller Scharzhof, Famille Hugel, Champagne Pol Roger, Famille Perrin, Symington Family Estates, Familia Torres, Vega Sicilia and Clarence Dillon - selects one of their best vintages to create 12 numbered, limited edition cases. A true treasure chest, within the reach of few, with box number 1 of 12 ending up under the hammer of Sotheby’s, spearhead of the online auction, staged until March 29.
Not only for the bottles, true rarities such as the Scharzhofberger Auslese Goldkapsel 2018 Weingut by Egon Müller, the Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2008 by Pol Roger, the Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche 2017 by Joseph Drouhin, the Vega Sicilia Unico 2010, the Solaia 2016, Marchesi Antinori, the Mas de la Rosa 2016 by Familia Torres, Tenuta San Guido’s 2017 Sassicaia, Famille Perrin’s 2009 Château Haut-Brion, Famille Perri’'s 2009 Hommage à Jacques Perrin Château de Beaucastel, 2015 Château Mouton Rothschild, Symington Family Estates’ Graham’s The Stone Terraces 2017 Vintage Port and Famille Hugel’s 2010 Gewurztraminer Selection de Grains Nobles “S”. But also, and most importantly, for the “Primum Familiae Vini” passport, which gives the opportunity to visit each of the 12 wineries of the “Primum Familiae Vini”, including the unique and exclusive experience of personally meeting a member of the family itself, who agrees to be present and receive the winner of the lot (and up to three family members or friends) for lunch or dinner at their respective estates.
The passport has no expiry date, so these unique experiences can be had at any time, whether it’s a private visit to the spectacular Grand Chai of Château Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux, the grand houses of Port in the Douro Valley, a sun-kissed vineyard in Tuscany or a legendary winery in Champagne. Quotation: £35,000-100,000, the most prestigious lot in a very rich selection. “Each of these wines is destined to become a symbol of their respective wine regions, and the twelve boxes represent the first and only time these great vintages will be available together. This box, No. 1 in the limited edition, will serve as an inspiration and collective reminder of the visits to each estate, where the winner will be hosted by a family member. The people who create the wines define the very wines they make. The opportunity to meet twelve such remarkable producers”, comments Jamie Ritchie, President of Sotheby’s Wine, “is a dream come true, but only for the highest bidder. No passport has been issued during 2020 and the number available each year is limited to a maximum of one or two passports. So what we are offering is one of the very rare boxes ever made available with this extraordinary additional premium”.
From their side, the historical wine families gathered in “Primum Familiae Vini”, through the voice of President Matthieu Perrin, add: “our twelve families are multi-generational and all of us have a passionate and very personal commitment to our vineyards, our wines and the continuity of our family business. We meet regularly to share our experiences and ensure that our children grow up appreciating each other’s wine regions. This limited edition box contains for each winery one of the best wines each of us has created in recent years, and we have signed each bottle. We look forward to sharing a fine bottle of wine at lunch or dinner with the auction winner at each of our estates in due time”.

Focus - But under the hammer of Sotheby’s also ...
Under the hammer of Sotheby's, however, there will certainly not only be the precious box signed Primum Familiae Vini. In all, there are 571 lots, out of which stand out the 6 bottles of 1996 Montrachet Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (£35,000-45,000), 12 bottles of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (2 La Tâche 2000, 2 Richebourg 2000, 2 Romanée St. Vivant 2000, 2 Grands Eaux-de-vie 2000, 2 Grands Eaux-de-vie 2000, 2 Grands Eaux-de-vie 2000), and 12 bottles of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (2 La Tâche 2000, 2 Richebourg 2000, 2 Romanée St. Vivant 2000). Vivant 2000, 2 Grands Echézeaux 2000 and 2 Echézeaux 2000, 32,000-40,000 pounds), a double magnum of Le Pin 2005 (24,000-30,000 pounds), 12 bottles of Château Lafite 1982 (22,000-28,000 pounds) and 6 bottles of Chambertin 2005 from Domaine Armand Rousseau (18,000-22,000 pounds).
For Italy, the three magnums of Soldera - Case Basse 2015 (£1,800-2,500), three bottles of Masseto 2016 (£1,300-1,700), 12 bottles of Messorio 2013 from Le Macchiole (£1,200-1,600), 6 bottles of Sorì San Lorenzo 2004 from Gaja (£1,000-1,400) and 6 magnums of Brunello di Montalcino 2015 Tenuta Nuova from Casanova di Neri (£600-800) should be followed.